Epic I Got Stuck and How I Survived Stories

[rhino]

I was on my way home on US-231 south of Crawfordsville one winter night. There had been a small snow recently, but that night it was really windy and blowing shallow drifts of powdery snow onto the road from the fields. I saw several slideoffs, but one vehicle looked to be in trouble, so I stopped on the shoulder to try to help. They had tried to get a tow truck, but no one was available since they were all over Montgomery County towing everyone else. While I was on my phone trying to find someone to help them, a guy on a decent sized farm tractor slowly rolled up. He was on his way to help someone else, but said he'd be back to help the car near me. So, I thought all would be well soon, so I put it in D, pulled away, and drove . . . nowhere. Tires just spun with the slightest pressure on the gas pedal. I was stuck. On the paved shoulder.

I figured I'd wait for the tractor to return so he could help me too. In the meantime, instead of waiting, I decided to potentially make it worse by rocking back and forth. That didn't help. So I thought, "I'm going to just go for it one time. One time." So I gave it a little gas and the tires spun, but I also moved a little forward. I let off just a little and after about 3-4 seconds, the tires found something solid and pushed me back onto the highway. Whew!

 

[Tactically Fat]

I was on my way home on US-231 south of Crawfordsville one winter night. There had been a small snow recently, but that night it was really windy and blowing shallow drifts of powdery snow onto the road from the fields. I saw several slideoffs, but one vehicle looked to be in trouble, so I stopped on the shoulder to try to help. They had tried to get a tow truck, but no one was available since they were all over Montgomery County towing everyone else. While I was on my phone trying to find someone to help them, a guy on a decent sized farm tractor slowly rolled up. He was on his way to help someone else, but said he'd be back to help the car near me. So, I thought all would be well soon, so I put it in D, pulled away, and drove . . . nowhere. Tires just spun with the slightest pressure on the gas pedal. I was stuck. On the paved shoulder.

I figured I'd wait for the tractor to return so he could help me too. In the meantime, instead of waiting, I decided to potentially make it worse by rocking back and forth. That didn't help. So I thought, "I'm going to just go for it one time. One time." So I gave it a little gas and the tires spun, but I also moved a little forward. I let off just a little and after about 3-4 seconds, the tires found something solid and pushed me back onto the highway. Whew!

I once got a Dodge 2500 cargo van stuck in an inch of snow...on grass...in South Bend. All a co-worker had to do was basically lean on the back of the van; that little push got me moving enough to get out of that yard.

 

[rhino]

I once got a Dodge 2500 cargo van stuck in an inch of snow...on grass...in South Bend. All a co-worker had to do was basically lean on the back of the van; that little push got me moving enough to get out of that yard.

I feel your pain!

 

[Nodonutz]

Not necessarily 'epic'... I worked mids and needed to take a snoo.... uhhh catch up on reports. Pulled into a favorite spot at one of the Middle Schools near the baseball fields. I settled on in and started working on my, uhhh, reports, ya.... get a call for service. I fire up my patrol car, put it in gear... nothing. I'm stuck. Unbeknownst to me, my rear wheels were in a large mud puddle and my front tires were on asphalt. Needless to say, like Lucy, I had some 'splainin to do.

 

[Nodonutz]

You tread head!

One time we were on maneuvers at Ft Carson (Iron Tigers) when one of our new LTs thought it would be a GREAT idea to go up this ravine to get a better looksee. He threw both treads on the M60 to the inside. So, he hops down and leaves me to recover his tank while he takes mine. Many fine words were said.

It took an M88 with a it's winch played all the way out and all the recovery cables from 3 tanks to even reach where it was stuck. Then we had to break the track on both sides and winch out the tank and both tracks separately then put it all back together. Many more fine words were said.

And that's not even the top three for worst stuck...there was this time we shut down all the traffic on the Rhine with three tanks and a mobile assault bridge...there's something missing here...these stories really need a bar to lean on.

I'd buy the first round!

 

[Ryno300]

This is a quick story about getting stuck...survival wasn't an issue while stuck, but there was some concern there might be some serious blood shed later. I know a story of a young guy in college that drove a large passenger van, owned by the college and entrusted to him as captain of the team, into a casino parking garage in Atlantic City on New Year's Eve. The ignorance of not knowing how low the concrete beams were and how high the van roof was only lasted until the 2nd level. As the roof of the van scraped and started to buckle as it drug across the concrete there was some debate of what to do..."maybe this floor is just a little lower"..."no way you're crazy"..."but we didn't notice it on the first floor"...."keep going what other option do you have." So another floor up - more scraping - now in a panic they began popping out all the side windows (they push out at an angle on a hinge) because there is fear the pressure pushing from the top might shatter them. Third floor no better. So at this point a small crowd is forming and a line of cars behind the van. Now the garage attendants are investigating to see what all the commotion (and the scraping noises) is. After some choice words, a lot of yelling, and a sweaty brow, the decision was made to take it out the way it came in. Ever backed a 10 passenger van down a twisting, low hanging casino parking garage scraping and creaking the whole way with ticked off cars honking behind you? I hear it's epic.